Misconceptions
by angelcat2865
Summary: Things aren't always as they seem. What if the prophecy about the twins was not what the people of Valeria thought it was and what if it wasn't Fai who died that day in the Valley of Sinners?
1. Chapter 1

**Misconceptions**

**Author: **angelcat2865

**Summary:** Things aren't always as they seem. What if the prophecy about the twins was not what the people of Valeria thought it was and what if it wasn't Fai who died that day in the Valley of Sinners?

**Warnings: **This story is rated T for some violence and child abuse.

**Spoilers: **For Fai's past,Chapters 155-156 in the Manga.

**Disclaimer: **Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and all of it characters along with any other CLAMP characters used in this story all belongs to CLAMP and not me sadly. All I own is the story and my OCs

_**Author's Note: This is only my second Fanfiction ever and the first one that's this extensive, so constructive criticism is welcome but please no flames.**_

_***Special thanks goes to Obsidian Buterfly without whose help, ideas and encouragement this story would have never been written.***_

**Prologue**

**The Prophecies:**

The prophecies were at least a thousand years old- discovered in the remains of an ancient temple by the some soldiers seeking shelter from a violent storm. Carved into the stone walls by long forgotten priests the prophecies spoke of many things, most of which had already come to pass, but there were many that also spoke of things yet to come. Prophecies had always been considered sacred in Valeria, but magic was held in even higher regard, for it was magic that kept the country safe and brought prosperity to the land. To harm or kill those that held magic was considered to be the greatest sin of all because of the curses it could bring on the country.

As time passed, the remaining prophecies began to prove true and slowly the words carved into those ancient walls became more sacred than magic.

Priests and scholars came from all over the county to study the wall of prophecies. With the passage of time, the Royal Family of Valeria became especially dependant on the sacred words to guide them in their rule, for many of the prophecies pertained to them. The implications of these predictions were never far from their minds and soon, every child of the royal family was being taught about the prophecies as soon as they could read.

There were certain walls that had been severely damaged in an earthquake long ago, making it impossible to read some parts, but even these imperfect prophecies usually contained enough information to be successfully interpreted. However, there was one incomplete prophecy that had been too severely damaged by the elements to be interpreted completely. Many of its words had worn off with age, the stone wall containing this prophecy having crumbled on both sides but what little of it remained struck terror in the hearts of all who read it.

_A ti.e will com..._

_.. great illness wil...strike ...ha...an_

_... bad ome..._

_... fear this co..ing fat..._

_...ard twins shall be bor..._

_...is land n...forlor.._

_...power to h..._

_...ll mark their rei..._

_...ogether they m..._

_...nd is to rem..._

_...eled power will..._

_Magic will f..._

_...,ned a curse com.._

_...rm befalls ..._

_.ll will suffer famine, pain, deat..._

_...nd wil...be cursed ...rever mo..._

Most of the priests and scholars agreed on the interpretation that one day a set of twins would be born that would bring a great calamity on their land and none would escape that fate. Word about prophecy spread and with it, so did the fear. The scholars had rarely been wrong in their interpretations of the sacred words. Soon enough, twins were feared by all throughout the land. The paranoia grew to such limits that there came a time when any family that bore twins was banished from the kingdom and the omens of bad luck were killed and thrown into the ageless Valley of Sinners.

For the people of Valeria, being a twin was now worst sin of all.

But maybe if they had known the prophecy in its entirety, they might not have been so hasty in their executions. If only…

_A lone priest watched over the temple. There had been a time when the temple had been filled with priests and servants but then the strange soldiers began to appear from nowhere. Many of his brethren were slaughtered while others had to flee for their lives. Word spread throughout the land that the temple was cursed. A brave few had remained behind to continue protecting the temple but their efforts were in vain. No help ever came for them and soon they too were killed until he alone was left. But he knew that his time would come soon and he would be joining his fallen brethren. _

_Waiting for the soldiers to return, he sat near the back of the temple watching over the prophecy that had been his and his brother's favorite. Unable to help himself, the priest read out the familiar words once more. _

_A time will come through out the land_

_A great illness will strike fear in the heart of man_

_As a bad omen most will take_

_But do not fear this coming fate_

_Wizard twins shall be born_

_Into this land now forlorn_

_The power to heal they shall bring_

_And peace and love will mark their reign_

_But together they must always be_

_if the land is to remain free_

_Unrivaled their power will be_

_Magic will flow for all to see_

_But be forewarned a curse will come_

_If harm befalls either one_

_All will suffer famine, pain, death and more_

_and the land will be cursed forever more_

_While the idea that the county would suffer from a strange illness had saddened them both, the thought that a set of twins would be the healers to come, had pleased them both greatly for they were twins themselves. But his twin was dead now. The priest had buried him alongside the others that had been killed by the strange ones._

_His attention was drawn towards the portal that opened up in front of him. Expecting to see the strange soldiers, he was surprised instead to see just one man standing on the other side. He took in the heavy set man's appearance, making note of the strange glass in one eye and the symbol of bat adorning the front of his robes. The priest recognized it as the same symbol that the soldiers had worn. The strange man gave him a look full of disdain though he did not step out. _

_"So you think that you alone can stand against me," the man asked in a haughty tone._

_"I only await my fate," the priest replied quietly._

_"Then your wait is over," the man sneered as he waved his hands and magic runes begin to swirl around the room. The earth began to shake and stones fell from the roof to crush the young priest. _

_Next to the fallen priest, he observed the prophecy that was untouched by his magic. Wanting to make sure that only parts of it that suited his purpose would survive, the man carefully carved out a spell to damage the wall. Adding the finishing touched to make it look as if the damage had been done by an earthquake the man stepped back with a smile. _

_"That should do it," the man laughed. "These fools will never question why the prophecy is so badly damaged and only interpret it the way I want them to. My minions will make sure of that - those twins will be mine to do with as I please."_

_With that he turned away, still smiling as the portal closed behind him._

_**Author's Note: For the purpose of this story I am assuming that Fei Wang Reed could open portals at any place and/or point in time but could not traverse them. Also like Yuuko he can only interfere so much: He can influence what people think the prophecy says but cannot change the prophecy itself, he can also help the prophecy along but only within the bounds of the prophecy's original meaning.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Misconceptions**

**Author: **angelcat2865

**Chapter 1:** Loss and Gain

_**Author's Note: Taishaku and Kendappa were borrowed from RG Veda and Hideki and Elda from Chobits. All belong to CLAMP.**_

* * *

_It was ridiculously easy to bring the plague to Valeria. All Fei Wang Reed had to do was, open some portals and drop a few sick animals in strategic places. Before long the whole county was in a panic. The Empress could not even survive the young prince's birth. It had taken years of trying to conceive this child and she might not be able to have another child again. This was the time Fei Wang Reed had been waiting for. He laughed, thinking of the madness he had unleashed. _

* * *

As the mysterious illness overtook the country, the Lords of Valeria did their best to fight off the panic among their subjects, but the speed with which the strange illness spread made the fear overwhelming. Death spread everywhere and no town or village remained unaffected.

To quell the distress among their people, the emperor's younger brother, Hideki, even had to cut his honeymoon short. Taking two of his most loyal soldiers, the prince scoured the country in search for answers. _Why was it happening? Was this a judgment against the land? And was there a cure?_ Unfortunately, even the temple of prophecies held no answers. Worse still, word came from the palace that the Empress had contracted the illness as well.

The Empress, Kendappa, died giving birth and the child only survived a few hours more. The Emperor, Taishaku, was beside himself with grief at the loss and nothing his bother and young wife, Elda, could do was enough to console him.

"Brother, I ask you, what is the point of me living anymore?" Taishaku lamented. "The only woman I ever loved is gone and my child, my only heir is dead too! Tell me, what do I have left to live for?"

"You have me," Hideki reminded him gently.

The two men could not have looked less like brothers. Though both were tall and handsome, Taishaku with his pale blond hair and icy-blue eyes was aristrocratic in every way that Hideki wasn't. Taishaku had cut his normally long hair to shoulder length, letting a beard and mustache hide his face, added to that, the way he carried himself let his subjects know that he wouldn't take kindly to being questioned. Hideki on the other hand, with his dark brown hair and eyes to match, had a friendly, open face. Of the two, he was certainly the more approachable.

"You have us both," Elda added. With her petite frame and light brown eyes framed by pale blond hair, she would have had an easier time passing as a royal sibling, compared to her husband. "We will never abandon you, my Lord. As long as you need us, we will be there for you."

"I will hold you to that brother and you as well, Lady Elda." Taishaku's expression softened.

"I would expect nothing less from you, brother," Hideki said. "Just remember that you also have our kingdom to look after. Our people need you now more than ever."

"Of course," Taishaku nodded, though he wasn't sure if the needs of his subjects really mattered to him anymore. _How could he help them if he couldn't even save the ones he loved most?_

* * *

The illness disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, but by then, thousands were dead. The entire country was in mourning, the death of the Empress and her newborn child only adding to their grief. Yet, in the midst of this sorrow, a new hope emerged. Elda was with child.

Even Taishaku was able to find some hope, the throne would not be left without an heir.

* * *

The months following the plague were fairly good to other people of Valeria. The country recovered from the grief of the outbreak and the time of mourning slowly passed.

Elda was now heavy with her child and the whole country, though still weary from their losses, wished to share in the happy event soon to come. A grand celebration was planned in preparation for the child's birth and an open court was held for all who wish to pay tribute for the occasion. Good weather had promised good crops and there were many who wished to bring gifts to royal family in hopes that the prosperity would continue.

A table was set up at the bottom of the stairs that led to the throne. Emperor Taishaku was seated at the head with Hideki to his right and Elda to his left. The purpose of this set up was to make court to feel less formal for the occasion and the populous feel more welcome. Taishaku has been set against the idea but Hideki and Elda had managed to convince him that it would be a good way to lift the moral of their subjects.

Every time he looked over at his wife, Hideki could not help but beam with pride, oftentimes, staring at her for no reason at all. Annoyed with his attention, Elda turned to frown at her husband.

"And just what are you staring at, my love?" she asked.

"I just can't get over how beautiful you look right now carrying our child," Hideki grinned.

"Oh? And was I not beautiful before?" Elda teased.

"You are always beautiful to me," Hideki answered, feeling relieved when Elda merely smiled.

"Enough you two," complained Taishaku, though even he appeared happy for the first time in month, "I am beginning to feel nauseated."

The first day of the open court proceeded without incident.

* * *

"That went well," Hideki said as the last of the public and members of the court departed. Taishaku had excused himself earlier in the day. Hideki dismissed the guards, leaving the young couple alone.

"Yes, the people of this land have been truly gracious to us," Elda agreed. "I don't think the Emperor enjoyed himself very much."

"No, I suppose not," Hideki shook his head. "He has always limited his contact with the subjects in the past. But I thought it would do him good to see how much our people love us and maybe even help him to move past his grief."

"I am worried about him," admitted Elda. "You can't deny he hasn't been the same since his child and Kendappa died."

'That is to be expected my love. I don't know what I would have done if it had been you and our child."

"But Hideki, he didn't even give the child a name before he buried him. He still hasn't. No child has ever remained unnamed in your family's history. Not even the ones who were stillborn. I can't help but worry that he isn't handling this well."

"Taishaku will be Taishaku," Hideki sighed. "He will handle things when he is ready. We just have to be patient, that's all."

"You are right, I suppose. He is your brother. You would know him better than I."

"Don't be that way, love. I understand your concerns, even if I don't share them. Taishaku will be fine." Hideki said, with more confidence than he actually felt. The truth was that he was worried about his brother too, but Hideki had faith in him. Taishaku had always been the one to push tradition. The Emperor had studied the history and the prophecies of the land with unwavering commitment, so his recent behavior was indeed troubling. But Taishaku always pulled everything back together. He had done so following their parents unexpected death in that accident, and Hideki knew that he would again. Plus, he really didn't want to worry Elda while she was still carrying their child.

"Right now," he said, "I think we need to be focused more on our own soon to be born child. Although, I doubt we be seeing any more of him at the open court sessions. I think he has had enough of dealing with the populous for now."

* * *

Taishaku had indeed had enough so he had excused himself from the proceedings long before the court let up. He had other, more important matters to tend to. Hideki and Elda could see to that open court foolishness on their own while he dealt with matters more directly involved with the ruling of their country. Conducting business in an open court was not his style. He believed in ruling with a firm and, if needed, an iron hand. He had lords over all the territories with mayors in place in each town, directly under them. There were even representatives appointed for the smaller villages to convey the wants and needs of his people and that was more than enough, as far as Taishaku was concerned.

_Hideki is too kind for his own good much less the good of the country_, he thought. He was allowing Hideki too much say in his rule. He had let his grief get in the way of better judgment but as soon the celebration was over, Taishaku would take control of the reins once more. He would allow his brother that much but no more.

The loss of his wife and son still wore heavy on Taishaku, the grief eating away at him every passing day. It hurt him to see that Hideki would have both, his wife and a child, when Taishaku would be left alone. He wondered why everything that he had ever wanted came so easily to his brother while he and his wife had tried for so long to have a child of their own. And even that had been stolen from him in the end.

Tired of feeling sorry for himself, Taishaku decided to take comfort in the fact that at least, with Hideki's child, their line would still continue. But even when he placed all his hopes in that, the question wore on his mind: "Why had fate been so cruel to him, yet so kind to his brother?"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Annoying Science lesson #859: Without getting too heavily into genetics two brown eyed people can have blue eyed children as long as both parents carry the recessive blue eyed gene:**

**Bb x Bb can = (BB and Bb = brown eyes) or (bb = blue eyes)**

**Fai and Yuui received both of the recessive genes needed to make their eyes blue.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Misconceptions**

**Author: **angelcat2865

**Chapter 2:** Unwelcome Prophecy

_**Author's Note: Anika is an original character created for this story. All dialogue, events and places taken from the manga and/or anime belong to CLAMP.**_

* * *

Anika fought off sleep as long as she could knowing that if she slept her dreams would take her down those dark paths of the future again. She hated the nights where she dreamt of the future. And lately, her dreams were darker than ever.

So she paced around her room, continuously running a hand through her short and unruly black hair. When she got tired of pacing, she sat down to read for a while and then when she got tired of reading, she paced some more.

_Anything I can do to stay awake without waking up everyone else,_ she though, stifling a yawn when her legs grew too tired to keep walking. Sitting down, she pulled her thin legs underneath her for warmth, picking up a book to read once more, in hopes of keeping her mind alert. But her eyes scanned the same passage over and over again until her eye-lids drooped and her head lolled to one side as she fell asleep.

_She was standing in the middle of a long corridor of what could have only been the royal palace. She could hear screams of pain coming further down the hallway. Worried about what was happening, she ran towards them, stopping only when she saw the second emperor, Hideki, pacing back and forth in the hallway outside the room that seemed to be the source of the screaming. There were other men and women standing around him though no one reacted to her presence. But then again, no one ever saw her in these dreams. She was just an observer. The sound of screaming was interrupted by the cry of a baby, a newborn from the sounds of it. The door to the room opened and a smiling midwife stepped out, holding a squirming, crying bundle in her arms._

_"You have a fine, healthy son, Your Highness," she announced, allowing the emperor to take the baby from her arms. _

_Second Emperor Hideki gently cradled the bundle in his arms, grinning from ear to ear as he addressed the newborn._

_"Welcome to the world my son, my little Fai."_

_However, the smile on his face quickly faded when his wife let out a pained cry once again._

_"Something is wrong," he cried, carefully handing the baby to one of the waiting nurses before trying to push his way into the room, "she shouldn't still be in pain."_

_"I am sorry, Your Highness," the midwife said, looking apologetic as she blocked his way, "but I can't let you in here just yet. I will let you know of the queen's condition as soon as I can." _

_"Hideki, she will be alright," reassured a man that Anika recognized as one of the Second Emperor's lieutenants, "she is in good hands." But even as the words left his mouth the cry of a _second _newborn rang out..._

"Twins!" _Anika gasped, unable to believe what she had just seen._

_Without any warning, the dream changed._

_She now stood by a cold, forbidding tower. A harsh wind whipped snow all around her as she stared at the dead bodies that littered the ground as far as she could see. _

So many bodies, too many,_ she thought._ I'm in the valley of sinners. What could have possibly happened for so many to be cast in to this dreadful valley? Many are not even dressed in the clothing of sinners.

_Noticing a movement to her left, she whirled around, her mind racing as she spotted a young boy dragging a body towards a pile near one of the valley's walls. He couldn't have been more than five or six years of age. Confused, she watched the boy struggle under the weight of the body, unable to understand why a child, _a living _child at that, would be thrown in the valley. The valley was a place for the dead, for sinners. _

_The boy could have easily passed for a member of the royal family, with his fine features, blond hair and startling blue eyes but Anika was confused to note that the boy was dressed in the tunic of a sinner, his hair long and unkempt. She watched in morbid curiosity as the boy tried to climb up the wall, trying to escape from the nightmarish prison, wincing when his hand slipped and he fell. She couldn't understand why someone would dare to treat a member of the royal family in such a cruel manner but before she could contemplate any further, she heard a voice. It belonged to a child, carried down on the wind from the tower above, calling out what she assumed to be the first child's name._

_"Yuui…"_

_It was she then realized to her great horror that she was watching the royal twins from her earlier dream. The boy did not respond to his brother's cries, putting all his effort in trying to climb the wall even though his fingers bled from his many attempts. With each failed attempt, she could almost feel the increase in the child's despair._

_All of a sudden, another body fell into the valley but to her shock, this person was still alive. She gasped as soon as she realized that the newcomer was the First Emperor himself. With a menacing slowness, the emperor advanced on the young child, the voice from above screaming the child's name over and over again, echoing off the walls of valley in a deafening cacophony. _

_"Yuui!"_

_She watched, frozen in place by terror as the child backed away from the older man, only to be trapped by the wall behind him. The Emperor came to stand a couple of feet away from the child before drawing his sword. _

He's going to kill him, _she thought, unable to look away from the horrific scene she had no doubt was about to occur. But to her surprise, the emperor merely stared down at the boy with contempt._

_"...Everything... is the misfortune... you twins invited... Your birth was... the beginning of misfortune. Already the living people in this country...are only me and you... And...It ends here."_

_And with that, the emperor turned the sword on himself, running it through his own neck before choking out his final words. _

_"The ones to live... in this country ...are only you. Twins of misfortune... ... Live, paying for that sin..."_

_The child began to scream, his cries joining the voice of his brother who never stopped calling his name._

Anika woke with a scream of her own, eyes wide with fear as she trembled in the night air, unsure if it was the cold or the nightmare that was making her shiver so badly. Drawing her knees close to her body, she wanted to do nothing more than cry, the details of her dream replaying inside her head on a continuous loop. Dread filled her heart as she realized what she had to do.

* * *

Hideki had somehow persuaded Taishaku to attend the final hour of the open court. The mood was lively, with many of the land's Lords and Ladies having arrived to attend of the great party that would begin as soon as the final tributes were received. There would soon be a new heir to the throne. The atmosphere was filled with joy and even Taishaku found himself caught up in the excitement.

Anika watched as the last of the tributes were presented, knowing that this would be her only chance to warn them of what she had foreseen. She knew that her words would not be taken well by the members of the royal family but she had to try for all their sakes.

Gathering her courage, she slowly approached the emperors.

"Your Majesty, it is a matter of great urgency that I speak with you," she implored, fixing her gaze on the Second Emperor.

The emperors looked up in surprise at her grave tone. Anika felt the words clog up in her throat, unsure of how to proceed as an uneasy silence fell upon the room. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, no one willing to break the silence she had caused.

"Well child, go on," the First Emperor finally spoke up, "tell us what you have to say that is so important."

"Your Majesty," Anika began again, nervously glancing up at the emperor, "I am a dream seer... and as of late, I have seen much in my dreams that would affect the royal family."

"I take it from your hesitance that the news you bring it not good," Emperor Taishaku's voice was cold as he stared down his nose at her.

"I am so sorry, Your Highness," Anika shook her head, afraid to look at Taishaku any longer as she fixed her gaze on Hideki instead. "But please, you have to believe me. It gives me great distress to have to bring this news to you and I am truly sorry for what I must say."

Hideki felt his heart sink at the young dreamseer's words. His mind was immediately filled with images of his wife and child, dying in his arms. He wanted to do all in his power to prevent that from happening but braced himself for the unfortunate news the seer had come to deliver.

Taishaku, however, had little patience for the girl. He had only just begun to find hope in his brother's good fortune and he did care for anything the seer had to say that could change that. Her apologies did nothing but anger him.

"Enough of this!" Taishaku thundered, having had enough of the child's theatrics, "Be gone from my court and don't ever dare to show your face here again. Count yourself lucky that I am not having you thrown in prison for the disruption you have cause. Guards!"

"Wait," everyone halted at the sound of Elda's gentle voice as she reached to grab her husband's hand. "Is something going to happen to my child? Please, you must tell me."

The Second Empress held herself with a quiet strength as she implored the seer to continue. Hideki who had been seated beside Elda on this day softly squeezed her hand in comfort. The young second empress gone pale as a sheet, looking as if she might faint but still there her gentle strength and courage encouraged Anika to go on. Turning her attention back to Hideki she took a deep breath and began.

"My Lord," Anika took a another deep breath before she continued, "you must take you wife and flee this county before she gives birth. It may be the only way that… the only way..." she trailed off, once again unsure how to deliver the bad news.

"The only way to do what?" Hideki demanded, looking confused and impatient. "Why would we need to flee Valeria?"

"It is the only way everyone can be saved," Anika replied, forcing herself to continue. This was what she had come here to do. "It is the only way to protect your children and… the only way that Valeria can be saved."

"What are you saying?" Hideki narrowed his eyes. "If there is a threat to this land, we will face it head on. I will not abandon the responsibility I hold to this country and flee, even if that leads to my death."

"My Lord, you do not understand what I am trying to say." Anika shook her head.

"Then make it clear for us," commanded Taishaku.

Anika took yet another deep breath.

_This is it, _she told herself, _I'm running out of time. If I don't tell them now, I never will._

"Your Highness as I said before," she dropped her gaze to the ground, unable to bring herself to look Hideki in the face, "it is with great regret I must tell you this. It is your children that will be the threat to Valeria... Lady Elda carries not one, but _two_ babies. She will have the twins that the prophecy spoke of... the ones that we have feared all these years, your children will be the ones that will bring destruction to Valeria. They will be the Twins of Misfortune."

Anika heard gasps of shock rise from all around her as her words sunk in.

"No!" Elda cried, falling into her husband's arms as she sobbed, "It can't be…"

Anika's heart raced as she looked up to see the Second Emperor glare at her, even as he whispered words of comfort to the empress.

"But," Anika tried to continue, wishing they would believe her, "there are places I have seen in my dreams. Worlds where twins are not bad luck. You can escape there and—"

"Enough!" Hideki yelled, as he motioned for the guards. "You tell nothing but lies."

_She has to be lying!_ His mind denied. _How can I believe that she truly is a dreamseer. Who did this child think she was, to damn his wife and child with such unspeakable words?_

Rage filled his mind as he glared down at the girl.

"Take her away and lock her in the dungeons," he ordered, "she is never to see the light of day again. I will not tolerate such filthy lies about my family."

Taishaku stared at his brother in shock. He had never seen Hideki look so angry in his life.

_It would seem that fate has finally decided to even the score, _he smirked inwardly, immediately hating himself for feeling happy about his brother's troubles.

The young seer tried to plead her case, crying for them to heed her warning as the guards dragged her from the court. Glancing around at the unsettled crowd, Taishaku stood up, knowing he had to take control of the situation before things got out of hand.

"My Lords and Ladies," he smiled, "I'm afraid I must apologize for the display you were all just subjected to. I have no doubts that she was sent by an enemy of Valeria to ruin this joyous occasion. I assure you that we _will_ get to the bottom of this and deal with the ones responsible for this debacle. But that is not for tonight. We have gathered here to celebrate the arrival of the next heir to throne of Valeria. I believe it is time for the real festivities to begin."

Following his brother's lead, Hideki took Elda by the hand, gently guiding her towards the Grand Ballroom. The rest quietly followed after.


	4. Chapter 4

**Misconceptions**

**Author: **angelcat2865

**Chapter 3:** Twins of Misfortune

_**Author's Note: Kazahaya and Rikuo were barrowed from Legal Drug which belongs to CLAMP. Marioutti is an original character created for this story.**_

* * *

In the days that followed, Hideki and Elda did their best to forget words of the young seer, but the fear of her prophecy coming true remained strong in their hearts. So when the fortunate day finally arrived, it came as no surprise to him that Hideki was both excited and worried. He waited outside the birthing chambers with his two most trusted lieutenants, Kazahaya, a thin, young, brown-haired man with green eyes and Rikuo, a well built young, man with black hair and brown eyes. Some other friends and palace servants were also present, the latter in case they had to attend to Elda and the baby, while the former merely to provide Hideki some company. But none of their presence was enough to soothe him as he paced in front of the doorway, waiting for Marioutti, the royal midwife to emerge from behind the closed doors.

Tired of waiting, he was just about to knock and inquire after his wife and child's health when the doors opened and a plump, gray-haired woman stepped outside. She beamed at Hideki, holding a squirming, crying bundle in her arms.

"You have a fine, healthy son, Your Highness," Mariouti announced as she allowed Hideki to take the baby from her arms.

Hideki grinned in return as he gently cradled the child.

"Welcome to the world my son, my little Fai," he addressed his son, unable to believe that the tiny life in his hands was his to protect. His and Elda's. But his joy evaporated when Elda let out another pained cry.

"Something is wrong," he looked at the midwife in alarm as he carefully handed the baby to a nurse in waiting, "she shouldn't still be in pain."

"I am sorry, Your Highness," Marioutti stepped in his path, looking apologetic as she stopped him from entering the birthing chambers when he made to push his way inside, "I can't let you in here just yet. I will let you know of the queen's condition as soon as I can." And then she vanished behind the double doors without another word.

"Hideki, she will be alright," reassured Kazahaya as he came to stand by Hideki's side. "She is in good hands." But even as the words left Kazahaya's mouth the cries of a second baby rang out.

_"Twins!" _Hideki gasped.

_The prophecy has come true..._

* * *

Word of the twins' birth spread throughout the palace, leaving servants and nobles alike in a state of shock. Emperor Taishaku ordered immediate shutdown of all court proceedings for the remainder of the day as soon as the news reached him as he called for an emergency meeting with the royal priests and scholars. The dreaded prophecy would have to be reviewed. Taishaku felt guilt over his malicious thoughts towards Hideki when he had first heard that young seer's warning. His brother did not deserve the hand that fate had dealt him with, but if Hideki's sons were indeed the feared twins from the prophecy he would do what was needed to be done, no matter the pain it would cause. He could only pray that the babies not wizards too.

* * *

Hideki stood alone in the nursery adjacent to his and Elda's room having already dismissed the nurses and guards. He wanted to be alone with his family, if only for a few hours. Elda had finally fallen into a troubled sleep a short while ago, exhausted as she had been from the day's events. Quietly, he watched the _two _babies that lay sleeping in the basinet.

_How could this have happened? _Hideki thought as he looked down at the two sleeping boys. He wanted to hate them, oh how he wanted to hate them, but he realized that he couldn't. They were his children after all. _Can they really be the dreaded twins of misfortune? It can't be true, can it?_

One of the babies stirred, Fai or perhaps it was Yuui, began to cry. Hideki debated if he should pick up the child. It would do no good to get attached to the babies when they were to be put to death the next morning. Taishaku had only granted them this one night because the twins were of royal birth. But as he heard the little one's cries, Hideki's heart could not help but reach out to his son. Just as he made up his mind to pick up the child, a gentle breeze began to stir the air as the basinet shook. He watched in surprise as swirls of a pale blue light surrounded the crying baby.

_He's a wizard, _Hideki thought.

Hideki gently picked up his son and the magic faded away as the baby calmed down.

Hideki felt a small weight lifted from his heart. Killing someone born with magic was still considered a bigger curse so at least one of his sons would have a chance at life. Taishaku would never cross that line. _But what of the other child? _He wondered, unable to bring himself to ignore the love he felt for that child as well.

He heard Elda stir in their bed and he turned to bring their son to her. She had to know that they would be able to save at least one of their children. But just as he started towards their bedroom, the second child awoke. He heard the basinet shake and he whirled back around just in time to see a wind swirling above the cot, a pale blue light encircling the baby inside.

"They're both wizards!" Hideki exclaimed, feeling relieved pleasure course through his veins at the though.

_Both my sons are wizards. They both have a chance to live._

Turning to his now awake wife he grinned, "Elda our sons are both wizards, they will both live."

"Both wizards?" Elda repeated sounding weak as she reached for the child he held in his arms.

"Yes," Hideki confirmed as he moved to let her take the baby from him before he hurried back to pick up the other one. Hideki returned to her side, gently cradling their son while Elda cuddled the one she had, tears of relief streaming down their faces. Their children wouldn't be executed.

_But what of the curse?_ Hideki heard a dark voice whisper in the back of his mind. _What of your land? Your subjects? You family?_

* * *

_**Author's note: For the purpose of this story I felt that magical power would be naturally suppressed during the birthing process and for several hours afterwards. This would be to protect both the mother and baby during the fairly traumatic experience of delivery. This is why no one was aware that the twins were both born wizards right away.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Misconceptions**

**Author: **angelcat2865

**Chapter 4:** The Onset of Madness

* * *

Taishaku had secluded himself in his chambers since he had received word that both twins were wizards. Now, he paced the length of his room, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of everything.

_Why is this happening to me? First my wife and child are taken from me and now... now the Twins of Misfortune are born not only during _my _reign but to my own brother...and they are _both _wizards!_

He paused for a moment, making a frustrated noise deep in his throat before whirling around to resume his pacing.

_What am I going to do? They can't be killed. That will be too great a sin... And even if it wasn't, the curses that have been put in place to protect those born with magic are too great. Harming them would lead to certain destruction._

He stopped dead in his steps when a new thought struck him, chilling him to the bone.

_The plague that is ravaging the land… they must have caused it. Their conception is what brought the disease. My beloved wife and child… the twins… _they_ stole my family from me. Curse those twins. Curse them to hell! Fear is spreading through my kingdom and everything is falling apart. It is all their fault. Everything… their fault…_

The poisonous thoughts replayed over and over in Taishaku's mind, his hatred for the twins growing with every beat of his heart. And then, somewhere deep in his mind, something snapped.

* * *

_**Author Note: Sorry this is such a short chapter, but I felt this was the best breaking point for this chapter. Also the next may be a little late because I need to do some more research on two of the characters.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Misconceptions**

**Author: **angelcat2865

**Chapter 5:** Dreams and Wishes Part I

* * *

Anika sat shivering in her cell, too tired to pace anymore. News of the twins' birth had reach her over a week ago. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen to her now that her prophecy had come true.

_Will they free me or will they blame me for being the bearer of such awful news? Why haven't I heard anything more?_

The urge to sleep was getting harder to ignore, still she tried to fight it. Her dreams had become all but unbearable now.

Whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see was the young prince trapped inside the valley. Bodies would rain down on the child and all she could do was watch helplessly as the boy would try to escape and fail over and over again. The prince in the valley below would slowly go mad while the brother in the tower would continue yelling his name.

_I can't face those dreams again,_ she thought, struggling to stay awake and losing. Sleep claimed her for the night and she returned to the land of her dreams.

* * *

_Anika found herself standing in a field, a thick cloud of fog surrounding her._

This is not the Valley of Sinners,_ she thought with some relief, _but where am I?

_The fog was so thick she could barely see a few feet in front of her but she could feel something drawing her forward so she walked, taking great care to watch where she stepped. She walked for what seemed like miles before the fog finally began to thin as a gentle but chilly breeze blew around her. In the distance, Anika could dimly make out what looked like a ruined temple and immediately knew that that was where she needed to go._

_As Anika drew closer, the fog cleared to give her a clearer view of the temple. Spotting soldiers and their horses off to one side, she hesitated for a moment, even though she knew that they couldn't see her. But the feeling that called out to her, beckoned her to the back of the temple. Cautiously, she entered the temple, surprised to find the second emperor and two of his lieutenants standing in front of a badly damaged prophecy stone. Looking closer, she remembered having seen the two lieutenants in her first dream about the twins._

_"The seer was right. This prophecy has been tampered with..." The brown-haired_ _one exclaimed as he stood there with both of his hands pressed against the stone._

_"...A wizard...a very powerful one...he damaged the stone the prophecy's on and...then he made sure it would be misunderstood..."_

_"Are you sure, Kazahaya?" the younger emperor asked._

_"Sure he is," said the black hair lieutenant. "He may be an idiot when it comes to everything else, but he's never wrong when it comes to a person's or an object's past in this case."_

_Kazahaya glared at his friend but emperor Hideki interrupted before he could say anything._

_"This is serious," Hideki said._

_"Sorry Hideki," Kazahaya apologized. "From what I have seen, the prophecy was never about what we were lead to believe. The twins were meant to bring good fortune to our land, not bad-luck."_

The twins were not bad luck? But how can that be? _Anika thought, her head spinning though she refocused on the conversation when Hideki cried._

_"I have to inform my brother of this at once," he said._

_"And what are you going to do when he doesn't listen?" the one called Rikuo snapped. "He hasn't been very reasonable as of late."_

_"I have to try, Rikuo," Hideki insisted, sorrow creeping into his voice. "Taishaku is my brother. I have to give him a chance to see the truth..." _

_"Hideki, you _know_ how much I hate to agree with Rikuo…" Kazahaya said softly, "but from what you've told us of that seer's dreams... Everything she has seen so far, has come true. I'm afraid that you might not be able to convince the Emperor and… You have to be prepared for that eventuality."_

Are they talking about me?_ Anika wondered, paying closer attention to their conversation._

_"If that happens, then I will have no choice but to contact Yuuko, just as Anika has suggested," Hideki replied, the pain clear in his voice._

_"The Dimension Witch?..."_

It's me that they're talking about, _Anika blanched, before bitterness crept into her heart. _Why would I help him after what he did?

_But then she remembered Kazahaya's words:_

_"...A wizard...a very powerful one... damaged the stone the prophecy's on and...made sure it would be misunderstood...From what I saw the prophecy was never what we were lead to believe..._

What have I done? _She thought, feeling panic begin to take hold of her._ Did I only make things worse by trying to warn the royal family? Is there anything to fix this?

_Almost as if to answer her questions, the fog returned in a rapid swirl around her. The world seemed to spin aright along with it before once again the fog cleared, only to reveal a place very different from any she had ever see before._

_**AN: Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter. A combination of real life and writter''s block got in the way. Also sorry to end this on a cliffhanger but this chapter was quickly getting out of hand and this was the best breaking point.**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Misconceptions**

**Author: **angelcat2865

**Chapter 6:** Dreams and Wishes Part II

_**AN: Yuuko, Moro and Maru are from both XXXHolic and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. All characters and places taken from the manga or anime belong to CLAMP.**_

_Anika stared in amazement at the sight before her._

_She stood in the middle of a large village with buildings unlike any that she had ever seen before. Some had walls that appeared to have been made out of paper, others had roofs that curved upward on the edges. Other still had a combination of both these features. In addition to that, the people seemed strangely exotic as well, with their dark hair and eyes. Their clothes were different too, all light and flowing, with beautiful, delicate patterns. But what succeeded in taking her breath away was the trees, tall and covered in delicate pink blossoms. Anika stared in amazement. She had never seen any trees like that in her in her life._

_Once again, Anika felt compelled to walk towards some unknown destination._

_As she made her way through the village that was really the size of a town, she spotted a family walking by. Seeing the picture of happiness they appeared to present, her thoughts turned to her own family and the horrors that she knew were soon to come to Valeria._

If only there was a way to rescue them,_ Anika wished with all her might for a solution to present itself. _A way to bring them to someplace safe where we could live in peace, a place like this.

_All of sudden, Anika found herself standing before a fence. It looked out of place in the exotic town but as she followed road along the fence, she came to an opening, catching sight of a house beyond the gap. It's architecture was a strange combination of the style of this new land and the houses she has seen in her own homeland. The house felt just as out of place as the fence._

Almost like it doesn't belong here in a single place or time, _Anika thought as she stared at the house._

_Her feet moved on their own and she found herself moving towards the door that flew open as soon as she had reached it._

_Two of the strangest young girls she had ever seen, stood just beyond the threshold. They both appeared to be around the age of ten. Anika noticed with some bewilderment that one girl had short _pink _hair that was pulled into two tiny pigtails and her eyes were just as _pink _as the hair. She wore a white dress with angelic wings attached to its back. The other girl had long _blue _hair though it was also pulled up in twin pigtails that hung all the way to the ground. Her eyes were just as blue as her hair though she wore a white shirt and short pants trimmed in brown. She also wore a brown coat with bat-like wings attached to its back._

_"Welcome to the shop!" they greeted in unison, sounding far too cheerful, "The mistress is expecting you." the girls caught hold of Anika's hands in their tiny fingers and proceeded to lead her down a hallway, all the way to a sliding door. Still speaking in unison, they announced her arrival to someone on the other side. "She's here, she's here, the customer is here."_

_"Thank you, Moro and Maru," said a rich female voice as the door slid open on its own._

_"You're welcome, you're welcome," they both responded in unison in their overly cheery way. Then, happily giggling to themselves, both girls skipped off after some unseen signal._

This dream just keeps getting stranger and stranger, _Anika thought,_ _taking_ _in the room's appearance as she entered._

_It was sparingly furnished, just an ornate sofa and an end table were placed before a curtained back wall. The other walls and the ceiling were painted with large translucent flowers and butterflies. Anika's attention however was drawn by the woman who stood in the center of the room. _

_She was tall and elegant, dressed in the same style of robes as many of the other woman Anika had seen so far but the woman's appeared more elaborate. Looking a little closer, Anika discovered that they were embroidered with ornate butterflies much like the ones that were painted on the walls. Her black hair was shorter at the front, with the bangs ending just above her eyes and some longer strands brushing her cheeks though at the back, her hair appeared to be almost reaching her knees._

_Anika was a little perplexed by the strange red color of her eyes but she was even more intrigued by the wisdom and intelligence that shone through them. It made her eyes appear far more older than her appearance suggested though Anika could also spot a sense of youth and mischief in them that also touched the woman's smile._

_Questions began to quickly fill Anika mind._

Who is this woman?

Why am I here?

What did those girls mean when they called me a _customer?_

_To Anika's amazement the woman seemed to read her mind answering her questions before she could speak them out loud._

_"Welcome, young seer. My name is Yuuko Ichihara. If you are here in my shop then you must have a wish you want me to grant."_

A wish granting shop? _was Anika first thought, but then the full implication of the woman statement hit her._

Yuuko Ichihara? _Anika gasped. "You're...you're The Dimension Witch!" she stammered. "But you can't be...this can't be _real_...it 's just a _dream_."_

_"Just a dream?" quipped Yuuko. "Why should this be any less real just because its taking place inside a dream. _You_ of all people should know how real a dream can be."_

_"But...but...I thought...you were just...a myth..." Anika continued to stammer._

_"Obliviously, I'm not," a slightly amused Yuuko replied._

_"But why am I here now?" Anika asked._

_"As I said before, you are here because you have a wish and as to _why,_ now well that is _Hitsuzen."

"Hitsuzen?" _Anika questioned._

_"It means that this meeting was _inevitable," _Yuuko said. "It would have always happened this way, so now, tell me about your wish."_

_"I have a feeling you already know my wish." Anika murmured._

_"I do," replied Yuuko, "but I want to hear it from you."_

_"I..." Anika started. "I want to save my family from the evil that is taking over my county. I want them to find some place safe where they can live in peace and happiness."_

_"The price will be high," Yuuko responded. "Will you be willing to pay it?"_

"_Price?" questioned Anika._

_"There is always a price for a wish," Yuuko said. "And it must be of the same value as the wish. No more, no less, if balance is to be maintained."_

_"So what will be my price?" she asked._

_"Your price is your freedom." was Yuuko's response._

_"My freedom..." Anika gasped._

_"Yes," Yuko replied. "You will have to stay and help the young emperor and his wife until they are ready to fulfill their own wish. Your life will be in grave danger and I can't guaranty that you will survive."_

_"I see," Anika almost whispered. "But my family… they will be safe?"_

_"They will," answered Yuuko._

_"Then I accept the price," she replied._

_"In that case, I can grant your wish," she heard Yuuko say just as the fog returned, swirling around her as it swallowed her up once again._

_**A/N: Sorry another cliff-hanger. **_

_**Sorry to be so slow getting this update out. my bata has been sick and I have alot going on right now. I will most likely only be updateing evry two weeks for a while.**_

_**Thanks for your patience.**_


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